This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The goal of Dr. Moore's research program is to identify biomarkers for pathological placental malaria. The experimental approach for our collaboration will be to elucidate changes in glycan-related gene expression in syncytiotrophoblast following treatment with various stimuli using our qRT-PCR platform. Previous reports in the literature on placental malaria have implicated a role for glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)(ie. Chondriotin Sulfate A) in malarial infection. Our initial experiments will include evaluation of transcript abundance of GAG-related genes.